Wednesday, March 4, 2015

New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment (at least according to their license plates), and there’s no place more enchanting in my opinion than Santa Fe. A land of rich American history, cultural diversity and scenery that’s simply unreal, the city is also known for its many galleries, museums and outdoor activities. (Be sure to check out the many outdoor sculptures!) It’s a great place for a romantic weekend getaway. And there’s perhaps no more enchanting place to stay while you’re there than the Madeleine Inn.

On this edition of African Odyssey, we travel to the African city of Dares Salaam which sounded interesting and mysterious. A fascinating city, a fusion of African and Arabic cultures. The city is on the way to one of the last truly wild life reserves in Africa, the Salaam / Selous. Join us on this photo safari.

I’ve come to Paris to get my fix: my cafe fix; my fashion fix; and most importantly, my culture fix. Art is everywhere in this glorious city. From the Louvre to the Musee d’Orsay, the Pompidou Center to the Musee d’art Modern, the galleries are overflowing with works of art to suit every aesthetic and era, from the masters to the modernists. And you wouldn’t you know it, there’s also an exhibition celebrating the environment. In my honor? You shouldn’t have.

Running May 17th through July 12th at the Karsten Greve Gallery in central Paris, the Echo Wanted exhibition showcases the works of artists preoccupied with “themes of pollution and the degradation of our environment”. According to the website: “as international concern for environment grows (as with all major changes throughout history), art accompanies this evolution”. The result is works by artists who have grappled with these issues and creatively interpreted them in all in an effort to stimulate our collective consciousness. Bon. Continue Reading / Additional Photos / Videos

On this edition of African Odyssey, we head to Kruger National Park. We follow some of the adventures of some of the parks wild residents. The African lion rules here and the prey species like Zebra know how to stay clear of this dangerous predator.

Join us as we take a photo safari in one of the last great wild places on this Earth.

Who would have guessed I’d find myself back in the London club scene. Ah, I remember the ritual like it was yesterday. Leaving our cozy Soho apartment in the dead of winter, dressed in a thousand layers. Arriving at the club by midnight, disrobing (the outer layers), dancing til dawn, eventually re-robing and heading home as the piss weak sun struggled to radiate any warmth whatsoever. Thank god those days are over for me, but I’m more than happy to pass the lollypop to the next generation of clubbers. Continue Reading / Additional Photos / Videos

While I think it’s safe to say we’ve moved past the eco = “green with leaf motifs” phase, I’m finding the hot pink decor with strategic splashes of lime green that adorn the eco suites of San Francisco’s Hotel Triton both garish and inexplicable. I mean, am I right in assuming that people who opt for eco travel don’t have the same design aesthetic as someone seeking a quickie wedding in Vegas?

If so, no-one briefed the interior designer.

The hotel, established in 1991, is a brainchild of nine artists (aaahhh, now it all makes sense). I know, I know. It’s not very peace, love and Haight Ashbury of me to slag the hotel. But the aesthete inside me refuses to be silenced. What can I do? It’s a disease! But where (in my opinion) the design misfires, the intention is spot on.

Who would have guessed I’d find myself back in the London club scene. Ah, I remember the ritual like it was yesterday. Leaving our cozy Soho apartment in the dead of winter, dressed in a thousand layers. Arriving at the club by midnight, disrobing (the outer layers), dancing til dawn, eventually re-robing and heading home as the piss weak sun struggled to radiate any warmth whatsoever. Thank god those days are over for me, but I’m more than happy to pass the lollypop to the next generation of clubbers. Continue Reading / Additional Photos / Videos

Surprisingly many animals have adapted to the harsh environment, among them elephant, lion, leopard, oryx and the rare mountain zebra. We explore by light plane, landing on beaches and rough strips, and by 4-wheel drive vehicles. There are no roads among the huge dunes.

Sure, Los Angeles may not make it into America’s top 10 greenest cities (or 50, for that matter). We admit our penchant for air pollution, stretch Hummers and conspicuous consumption leaves plenty of room for improvement. But amongst the strip malls and smog, there are pockets of green. And like everything in Los Angeles, you need an insider to help you find it. So, for all you visitors to the City of Angels, here’s my tip for a sleek, stylish and environmentally friendly hotel opening this month.

The Hotel Palomar in Westwood provides a luxury boutique experience that chooses environmental responsibility because it’s “simply the right thing to do”. The hotel, part of the Kimpton family, incorporates more than 40 eco-friendly practices into their daily operations. Things like in-room recycling, energy efficient lighting and water efficient features. They also boast natural toiletries — a huge relief, having endured über drying chemical body washes on more occasions than I care to remember.

I have a friend who believes that everything worthwhile socially and technologically happens on either U.S. coast (namely, New York and L.A.) and eventually moves in to the middle of the country, which he likens to a vast, empty space not unlike the Australian outback. If we were to believe this theory, I think it would mean that Indiana is just about due for indoor plumbing. Clearly, this is not the case. Especially in the green space, where advancements are happily popping up everywhere. For example, if you’re planning a trip to beautiful Greensboro, North Carolina, and you want to make your travel footprint lighter, you can check out the Proximity Hotel.

The Starwood Capital Group plans to put a new star in Hollywood, with its conviction to begin construction on its green luxury hotel chain called “1”. Starwood aims to have fifteen locations in the next twenty-four months including Los Angeles.

Call it another example of going green in Hollywood.

The goal is to combine architecture that is environmentally sustainable with great interior design, service, and luxury. The Starwood Group, which owns high end hotels such as the W Hotels, Le Meridien, and Westin, hopes “1” will set a new standard for green hotels and eventually push the entire hotel industry to transform. Each “1” location plans to donate one percent of hotel revenue to local environmental groups, hence the simplicity of the name.

What does it take to change the focus of the masses towards more sustainable lifestyles? If we ask the good folks of Wisconsin, they’d tell us it takes coordinating all types of groups, including government, business, and active citizens. And what you’d discover is that participants become more involved in their communities, which the key to making real change happen.

Travel Green Wisconsin — created in 2004 as an ad hoc advisory committee of business leaders, government agencies, and non-profits — is recreating the recreation landscape in Wisconsin. Their goal: educate people about sustainable tourism practices and promote businesses that are going for the green – both environmentally and fiscally. Why? A full three quarters of Americans have decided to lead greener lifestyles, but this dedication rarely carries over to vacations.